Federal Emergency Meth Lab Cleanup Funding Act of 2007!

Can it be true that the government is actually working to help innocent buyers of meth lab homes? According to this bill, it appears that may be true! Who is sponsoring the bill? S. 2100. A bill to require that Federal forfeiture funds be used, in part, to clean up methamphetamine laboratories; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

To require that Federal forfeiture funds be used, in part, to clean up methamphetamine laboratories.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 26, 2007

Mr. JOHNSON (for himself and Mr. BARRASSO) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILLTo require that Federal forfeiture funds be used, in part, to clean up methamphetaminelaboratories.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Federal Emergency Meth Lab Cleanup Funding Act of 2007′.

SEC. 2. FUNDING FROM TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND.

Chapter 97 of title 31, United States Code, is amended–

(1) by redesignating section 9703 (as added by Public Law 103-62) as section 9703A;
(2) by moving section 9703 (as added by Public Law 102-393) so as to appear after section 9702; and
(3) in section 9703(a)(1), by adding at the end the following:

Payment to the designated State, local, or tribal law enforcement, environmental, or health entity for experts and consultants needed to clean up any area formerly used as a methamphetamine laboratory.

`(ii) If a methamphetaminelaboratory is located on private property, not more than 90 percent of the costs may be paid only if–

`(I) the property owner did not have knowledge of the existence or operation of such laboratory before the law enforcement action to close it;or

`(II) the property owner notifies law enforcement not later than 24 hours after discovering the existence of such laboratory.’.

I am a realtor and have been given an bank owned property. The neighbors claim it was a meth lab….I am located in Naples, Florida. What are the requirements if any….the house is empty and is being repainted due to the numerous holes in the walls and dark colors.
Thank you.
Vicky Moreno

Neighbors are a good resource for finding out if a home was used as a meth lab. To verify whether that’s true or not you can call the police department and ask them what they know about the occupants of that home. If there was a meth lab bust there, there will be a police record of that.

If the house was used as a meth lab, it is the bank’s responsibility to insure that the home was decontaminated and tested by someone certified to test home for meth lab contamination. Selling a former meth lab, it not like doing washing and waxing a car before you sell it. A meth lab home is considered a hazardous waste site.

If the bank does not clean the home as they are required to by law (s005), and the new occupants find out from the neighbors that it was a methlab, you and/or the bank may be liable for selling them the house. Call your state health department. They should be able to direct you to the right person /agency to answer any questions you might have.

My son bought his home before the law was in place to protect him and his family, like so many other families who bought their homes before the law enacted in 2005. For him and others like him, they own the bill for the cleanup and they are not not getting any financial or otherwise help from the federal or state governments. It’s not right that they be made victims twice, once by the meth heads who used the home as a cooking lab and secondly by the federal government. For once, I’d like to see politicians stand up and take a stand for honest, working class families and do what’s right!